The Ogre and I
by Pricat
Summary: This is a fic about Shrek and me being friends and in Earth but when my best friend Leah moves next door, he gets worried. Will things change for the better or get a little messed up?
1. Friends through the Night and Day

The Ogre and I 

It's midnight. The wind is howling loudly outside. I watch as the teen in the bed tosses and turns. The wind is making it hard for her to sleep. I watch as she opens her eyes and look into mine. "You okay Carley?" I ask her.

"I just need my MP3 walkman, then I'll be fine." She answers. By the way my name is Shrek and I'm a Guardian Ogre. Guardian Ogres are supposed to protect the kid they're with and help them but I befriended Carley seeing as nobody would. She's a very special kid. She has a powerful imagination, so powerful, it can create new worlds.

She has short red and black hair. She tried to grow it long for a braid like Fiona's but gave up after several failed attempts. She's slender bodied because she has Diabetes Type 2 and lost a lot of weight by taking care of herself. She's also disabled with Bardel Biedl Syndrome, Sclerosis and Diabetes. The syndrome affects her sight so she can't see in the dark or see sides. When outside, she has to use a symbol cane but people notice and stare.

I'm really her only friend and hero. She admires me for many reasons but in Duloc, it's OK to be different or disabled and she loves that too. She and I live in a downstairs flat her parents got built onto the house for her. They don't know anything about me because Carley never tells them about me. She has low self esteem and no self confidence so she never says what she thinks unless she's talking to me.

I yawn and climb into bed beside her. She smiles at that. "Hey Shrek who do you think will move into the house beside us? Will they have other kids like me?" she asks. The house beside hers has been vacant since the neighbours moved out. "I'm not so sure. Maybe some family with kids about your sister's age." I answer. She looks sad at that. Lots of the kids around here aren't in her age group. But the fact that she's… different brings up barriers.

"I wish it's somebody cool." Carley says as she falls asleep. I hope that wouldn't happen because it'd be hard for us to be friends and for me to help her.

The next morning we woke up. Carley then opened the door and walked into the kitchen for breakfast. My stomach is rumbling but I can't go in there or her family would freak. I hear the door open as she comes back in with a plate of toast. "Thanks. Did your Mom ask about the toast?" I say. "No she didn't. I have to get ready for the new neighbours. They're coming soon." Carley replies sadly. "Hey it'll be okay. Maybe these neighbours will be different." I tell her making a face. She laughs as she walks into her bathroom with clothes.

I still ate. She'd put peanut butter on it. I like the way it crunches. She came out wearing her black Rock Princess top with blck jeans. "Nice choice! You look awesome!" I say. She smiles at me. "Thanks amigo. At least you understand I'm not insane or a frwak." she says as she hears her Mom call her. "I'll see you later, okay?" she tells me as she closes and locks the door so nobody can get in and find me there.

I hear the wheels as the moving van pulls outside the new house. I know I'm in Carley's flat and can't go out but I can see what's happening out there in my head. The new family gets out. They're black skinned. There's a Mom, a Dad and two kids. The girl looks seventeen with long chestnut hair, wore black clothes, had dark brown eyes. "Carley?" I hear her ask my friend. "How do you know me? I-I don't know you!" Carley replies. "It's me Leah." the black skinned girl replies. Carley just hugs her without fear. "I can't believe it! You're here! Now we don't have to just hang on line." she says. "Is this the friend from America you talk to?" I hear Carley's Mom Karen ask her. "Yes Mom it is. Leah this is my Mom and sister Molly. My Dad is at work. He won't be back until later." Carley answers. Leah's Mom smiled at that. "It's nice to meet you dear. Leah talks about you most of the time when off the Internet." Leah's Mom told Carley.

"Cool! Come on let's go inside!" Carley told Leah as they go inside. I open my eyes and am worried. Leah's a big fan of me too and into most of the same stuff as Carley. I gulp nervously as I hear the door open. "Wow! Shrek and you are friends! Cool! But how?" Leah asked Carley. "It's a long story." Carley replies as they sit on the couch beside me. "I've got time." Leah tells her...


	2. Sleepover

The Ogre and I 

Ch 2

Leah settled herself down on the couch as she listened to her friend's story. "It was a night like any other when he came. I was asleep in my bed dreaming of the two of us meeting when a bright light flashes over the park but vanished. The next day I was just walking by myself listening to music when I heard him moan and was curious. Other kids had ran away but was amazed when I didn't. It turns out we were meant to be together. A weird aura glowed around my body and he smiled. He was the only one not afraid of me because I'm… disabled.

I took him back here while my family were out and we've been friends ever since." Carley told her smiling. "Awesome! But how come when you e-mailed me the last few times, you never told me about this?" Leah replied. "If I had, you probably wouldn't believe me unless you saw for yourself, right?" Carley said. "Yeah you're right. He's been quiet for a while. Is he mad because I'm with ya?" Leah told her.

She shook her head at that. "Nah he just needs to get to know you like when he and Donkey first met." Carley answered. Leah then heard her phone ring and answered it. "I gotta go. It's dinner time, okay?" Leah said smiling. "Sure. Come back later. We're having a sleepover, remember?" Carley replied to her. Leah smiled at that. Leah's and Carley's parents were going away for the weekend and Carley and Leah were on their own but Carley's sister Molly was spending the weekend at their grand parent's.

Karen had made lasagne for dinner. It was Carley's favourite. She saw a sad look in Shrek's eyes as she closed and locked the door. "Don't forget about me just because Leah's next door." He said softly. "_That's what's up with him! He's a little jealous because of Leah. But just because she moved next door doesn't mean I still can't be friends with him. I'll talk to him later." _Carley thought as she ate. Karen had left a checklist of the stuff she could and couldn't eat because of her Diabetes. She also left her mobile phone number in case something happened.

Carley smiled as they left the house. She then unlocked her door. Shrek was in the tent she's set up already like an army one. He saw her crawl in and helped her. "You okay getting in?" he asked her. "Yeah but I wanna talk to you, okay? I know Leah and I are friends but it won't change the relationship we have. There's one thing you do that Leah can't." she told him. "What's that?" Shrek asked nervously. "You're my Guardian Ogre, there to help me and to be a true friend just like Leah. Besides you and her are my only friends. Without you, I'd be lonely. You understand that I'm not weird or a freak just because I like making things like the stories we create or stuff for Aria. You also make me feel better about being disabled when other kids make fun of me." she reassured him. He then hugged her. "Thanks for reminding me of that. It's just I get a little jealous when new friends enter your life. It scares me." he said softly. "But I have Love in my heart for all my friends especially you and Leah. Do you think you can give her a chance?" she said hugging him back.

"Sure I'll try for you." he told her. "Thanks Shrek. You rock." Carley told him but she noticed he was still worried. "What's wrong?" she asked. "It's... just I've never had a sleep over before and I'm just a little worried." he admitted. "Don't worry it's my first one too." she told him as the door bell rung. "It's probably Leah." she told him as she got out of the tent and went to answer the front door. Leah was standing there. "Hey Carley! Is he okay?" she asked her friend. David was standing outside and heard that. "What did she mean by that Leah?" he asked her. "It's nothing. Go back into the house, okay?" Leah replied to him. He walked back into Leah's house. Carley smiled as they walked into her flat. "Where is he?" Leah asked her. "I don't know. Before you came, he was in the tent. Maybe he's playing a trick." Carley answered. They then saw Shrek walk into the flat wearing alligator skin pyjamas and a night cap. "Sorry I didn't mean to get you guys worried." he told them.

"Nah it's okay. This is Leah. Don't worry she's nice like me." Carley said gently. "Um... hi. I'm just a little worried. Making new friends is a little hard for guys like me and Carley. What's that around your head?" he told Leah. "It's a Naruto head band. Let me guess you're not into manga or anime, right?" she answered. Shrek looked bewildered at that. They mostly played on the Wil for most of the night but at midnight they decided to get into the tent so they could talk. Carley was eating an apple, one of the snacks she could have. "Do you miss your world, like the swamp and stuff? How do you deal with home sickness?" Leah asked Shrek gently. "There are times when I get like that but then what that happens, Carley and I start reading fairy tales or folk lore and that makes me feel better. Only this world wouldn't accept me the same way they don't accept Carley for being different." he answered with tears in his eyes.

Carley then got an idea as she saw the picture of her friend;'s swamp. "We're moving this sleepover!" she said happily. "But where?" Leah asked her curiously. "To the swamp we go!" she whispered. The friendship bracelet her ogre friend had given her glowed and the tent disappeared with all three of them inside. "Where're we?" Leah asked her. Shrek was smelling the smells of his swamp home. "Get out of the tent for a second and look." Carley said with a playful smile on her face. "Okay here goes!" Leah said as she opened the tent zip and stared at the swamp house. She smiled as she closed the zip. "I get it! You brought us here to his swamp because he was feeling sad because he was swamp sick." she told her friend.

"Yep.she did. Thanks amigo. You're an awesome friend!" Shrek said as he opened the zip and got out for a while along with Leah and Carley. "What're you doing?" Leah asked as she and Carley brought the sleeping bags with them. Shrek then belched out fire to light the wood. "Cool you made a camp fire! That way we can enjoy the great outdoors!" Carley said lying down. "Yeah that's right." Shrek replied looking up into the night sky tracing the constellations. Leah was doing the same but Carley wasn't because she couldn't see the wonders of the night sky. She listened as her ogre friend weaved stories about the constellations until they fell asleep without realising it. "To home we go!" Carley said in her sleep as the tent, the sleeping bags and she and her friends glowed and disappeared. They then appeared back in her flat.

It was ten in the morning when they woke up. Shrek smiled at Carley as they ate breakfast in the kitchen. "I'm sorry we didn't wake up there but we can sleep over there tonight." she said. "Great idea! I can't wait for tonight!" he told her. Carley and Leah laughed at that. They didn't know David was watching them...


	3. Valentine Blues

The Ogre and I 

A/N- Valentine's Day has always been a sad day since third year so because we're nearly in the month of Love, I felt inspired to write this chapter but imagined how Shrek felt on that day before Fiona. Kelly is a homage to Kelly Asbury from Dreamworks. Enjoyeth!

Ch 3

Shrek woke up at the first rays of light coming through the blinds of the window. He got up and stretched. He noticed Carley was still asleep. He checked the calendar. It was February 14th other wise known as Valentine's Day.

He sighed softly. This year he wouldn't be enjoying it with Fiona. A small tear came to his eye and it fell on Carley's face. She stirred from her sleep. "Hey you okay there? Good morning." She said softly. She noticed her ogre friend was crying. "What's wrong? You know you can tell me. We're friends." She asked. "It's… Valentine's Day and I miss Fiona. This day doesn't feel special without her. I sense depression in your heart. Does this day make you sad too?" he answered.

"Yes it does. You have somebody to love and I don't. I hurt watching others get cards and gifts but I never get any so on this day when my heart hurts, you make me feel better. I wish I could help you. Wait there is! What if you had the day off? That way you could be at the swamp with Fiona and have a romantic day, just the two of you." She explained. Shrek smiled. "You'd really do that for me?" he asked. "Yep. That's what friends are for. To Duloc you go!" she replied. She watched as her friend vanished in a flash of light.

Leah then came in. "Hey where's Shrek?" she asked confused. "I let him have the day off. He missed Fiona on the most romantic day of the year." Carley answered smiling sadly.

Leah understood how her friend was feeling. In the swamp Shrek was enjoying a romantic breakfast with Fiona. He felt sad for his friend. He knew how she felt on this day.

Twenty five years ago… 

It was Valentine's Day in Duloc High and Shrek watched as many jocks and girls exchanged cards and gifts. He'd made something for a certain girl. Her name was Kelly. She had short blonde hair, a slender frame, aqua blue eyes and a winning smile that set his heart on fire. But when she received it, jocks were watching. "Oh man! The ogre wants you to be his! He's such a jerk!" they cackled as the entire student body laughed at him.

"_I'm sorry. Can't you feel the love inside? I mayeth be an ogre but I'm not what you think." Shrek told her. Kelly was feeling red hot from shame. "Eweth! Like I'd really be an ogre's love! Go back to the mud hole you came from freak! You never should've laid eyes on me." She told him, anger in those eyes as he watched her rip up the card he'd made and destroy the sunflowers he'd gathered for her. Hurt blazed in his brown eyes as he ran, ran far away from the school back home and locked himself in his room letting his pain and broken heart out all night. But after that Kelly regretted that the next day when he returned. It was that day he decided not to Love at all._

_Back to present day… _

Fiona noticed him smiling sadly as he looked at the sunflowers. They always reminded him of when their love had started. "Are you okay? You've been very quiet as you ate." Fiona asked. "Sorry. I... was just thinking of a friend on Earth. This day full of Love aned romantic joy always sucks for her. I feel bad that I'm enjoying it while she's depressed." he answered. Fiona understood.

"Let me guess she has nobody who loves her as a girl friend?" she said. Shrek nodded. "Yep. She's never had a valentine card or gift in her entire life. I can relate." he replied. But Fiona had a plan in her mind. "What're you thinking?" he asked her. "You'll see. Come on." she told him as they went into the house. Later that evening Carley ate meatballs and pasta quietly not letting her pain and sadness show. It was midnight when Shrek came back. He saw her asleep in bed. She was listening to music on her MP3 player. He then slipped something into her arms. It was a green envelope with a card and something else inside. He smiled as he climbed in beside her in bed and wrapped his strong arms around her.

"Thank you." he whispered softly. "What for?" the human teenager whispered back, her eyes closed. "For giving me the best Valentine's Day of my life. I'm sory on this day you feel pain but one day True Love's Kiss will find it's way onto your lips and it'll feel better than anything." he replied. The next morning he saw her wearing a leather slip on necklace with an ogress clutching a heart. "Thanks for the card and this. You always know how to lift my spirits on a sad and depressing day." she replied as she went to get breakfast. "No problem. All in a hero's work." he replied as they ate toast in her room together, talking, laughing and feeling free... He felt like the teenage him was being relived by her in her heart grew misery and sadness but had somebody to lighten it...


	4. Let Things Work Out

The Ogre and I 

Ch 4

Shrek noticed his friend was very quiet and worried. He wondered what was wrong. "What's up? You've been quiet." He asked her.

"I have to go visit a web designer and I'm nervous. We don't know each other and stuff. Did you want to be something important when you were a teen?" Carley answered. Shrek nodded. "Yes I did. I wanted to be a knight. I had the heart and courage of one but my parents never approved of my dream. It hurts when they do that." He told her looking into her eyes.

"You would make an awesome knight, brave and unselfish and loyal. My parents hate that I'm not like them. My Mom tries to get me into candles but that stuff isn't my thing. Writing stories, being with you and with Leah is my thing." She said. "Thanks man. Why web designing?" he replied to her. "I wanted to make a web site for my fan fics and creative writing." She answered him.

But he was thinking of something. "_I want to tell her that I want to be part of her family and let myself be known to her parents and sister. But she wouldn't be too happy about it." _He thought as he saw her eat. "What's on your mind?" Carley asked him. "Oh nothing." he said as he watched her go off with Leah. He then saw a letter for him and opened it.

Hello

We know you haven't spoken to us since we kicked you out of the house but we want to see you. We know you're a Guardian Ogre so we're going to Earth so we can visit.

Your parents.

it read. He was very nervous at that. He couldn't tell Carley this. He hoped they didn't know where he was. He couldn't risk letting Carley's parents find out about them or him. They wouldn't understand.

Leah noticed the ogre was nervous as she and Carley were in her room. "It's my parents. They're coming for a visit. I'm afraid. I wanna be part of Carley's family and let her parents and sister know about me." he replied softly. Leah understood but Carley was very quiet. "Are you okay?" Shrek asked her. He knew this was a lot to take in. "I-I'm fine. Just nervous." she answered him. He understood she was a little scared. "Don't worry. It'll be okay." he told her hugging her. Leah then heard her brother gasp as he came into the room. "What's an ogre doing here? Does Carley's parents know?" David asked her as he just stared at Shrek. "No they don't. What're you doing here?" Leah answered. Carley looked flustered at that. "Don't worry. I'm not leaving you. This kid won't tell. Besides if he did, who'd believe him?" Shrek reassured her smiling. "I was curious, okay? My friends were saying stuff about your friend because she never comes out of here most times. I won't tell." David answered.

"What's up with him? Is he scared of me?" David asked Leah. "No. He's just worried because his parents are coming for a visit. They're... not like him." Carley told him. "Oh okay but why's he here?" he replied. "I'm her Guardian Ogre. We're assigned to kids who are lonely, sad, hurt or needing friendship. I was assigned to Carley because she's different, disabled and she finds it harder to make friends with other kids. I know she's friends with your sister but she's the only one that sees Carley just as a person." Shrek explained to him. "I understand." David told them.

Later that night both Carley and Shrek were in bed together. "Will they be okay when they find out you're protecting me? They probably want you to be like them, mean and cold hearted but you can't. I know it. Only if my parents found out, they wouldn't believe me." Carley said softly to him, her eyes closed. "They'd freak but I can't change who I am. I know your parents... expect you to be like them but I know you're not. You're more cooler than them with powerful creative and musical talent." Shrek replied stroking her hair. "Maybe one day you could make your dream of being a knight come true or maybe one of your sons will have the same dream. My friends tell me to follow your dreams but it's hard." she said. "That's true. What dreams do you wanna follow?" Shrek asked her. "I want to be a DJ and an author. My parents want me to be into nursing or mechanics like them but it's not for me." she answered.

He smiled at that. He hoped his parents wouldn't cause too much trouble when they came. But he wanted to talk to Carley about being part of her family but now wasn't the time. Leah noticed that Carley was smiling as they walked in the park. Some kids were making fun of her friend because of her cane but ignored them. "How is he?" Leah asked. "He's okay. We talked about being part of each other's families but I'm worried. My parents wouldn't believe me or think I'm crazy." Carley replied. Leah understood. "I'm sure it'll be okay." she said as they got onto a bus. Leah knew that Carley was very nervous around her parents. She felt scared around them. She didn't want to imagine their reaction to Shrek being her Guardian Ogre or being part of the family. "Just forget about it for now. We'll figure out a way to tell them." Leah told her as they got off the bus and were in the City Centre.

"I hope you're right Leah or chaos is afoot." Carley said as they went into a book store. They then saw two strangers that looked like ogres approach them. "Hello. Are you the one our son protects?" the male asked Carley. Leah saw her nod nervously as they paid for manga and fantasy books. They were Shrek's parents. "You're them, aren't you? He's been very nervous about you guys showing up." Carley replied to them. The female ogre looked skinny with blue eyes and wore Goth clothes. Her name was Beltra. The male one, her husband was wearing an old leather jacket with faded jeans and Sketchers. His name was Maki. He had brown eyes just like his son. Both had gren skin and trumpet shaped ears.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Leah, Carley's friend." Leah told them as they walked down the street. Carley noticed Shrek feeling nervous and drinking black coffee as they came in. "You okay? You look awful." Carley said gently. "Yeah. I see they're here. Also your parents found out about me. They're okay with it, just a little freaked out. They're coping better than I thought they would. They went out for dinner and went to a hotel for the night." he explained. Leah saw Carley cry. "Hey it's not your fault. Everything'll be okay." she said hugging her. "Yes but they probably think I'm insane and send me away where we can never be together or be with Leah!" she told them. "It's okay. I explained everything to them. They don't think you're crazy. They're just surprised you didn't tell them." Shrek reassured her hugging her too. "Thanks. I'm worried for when they come back." Carley replied smiling. "Where're my parents?" Shrek asked her. "They're in the spare room." she answered him softly.

That night he lay awake thinking of his friend. He had a solution but he wanted to tell her first before doing it. He hoped things would work out...


End file.
